Bathtub assembly for handicapped persons

Abstract

A bathtub assembly that can be raised and lowered has a bottom and a lift plate with scissors-like guide frames positioned between them, which said frames guide the lift plate vertically. Two collapsible hoses or bellows, made of material that bends but does not stretch, are sealed at the ends, one end being attached to the lift plate and the other to the bottom. The hoses or bellows 20, are connected by means of connection hoses and a manual valve to the house water supply line.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a bathtub assembly for handicapped persons of the type having a bottom plate, a lifting plate, and a guide means intermediate the bottom plate and the lifting plate, the guide means being of the type having at least two scissors-like rocking lever sets, lift means which can be filled with water for lifting the lifting plate, and a manually-operated valve connectable with and responsive to a household water supply for controlling the lift means, the lift means having at least one collapsible hollow body closed at the ends, one end fastened at the bottom plate and the other end fastened to one of the lifting plate and the guide frame, the collapsible hollow body having a wall operable for folding with minimal stretch and which folds flat when the lifting plate is lowered, the hollow body having a water connection and being inflated by filling with water, the improvement wherein the guide means comprises pairs of identical guide frames connected to each end of the bottom plate and each end of the lifting plate, a longitudinal strut jointed to one end of each rocking lever of one guide frame of one pair of guide frames and to one longitudinally opposite end of a rocking lever of another guide frame of the opposite pair of guide frames, transverse axles jointed to transversely opposite ends of a rocking lever of each guide frame of each pair of identical guide frames, said struts and axles being mounted parallel to the bottom plate, and said struts and axles being operable to synchronously move the lifting plate parallel to itself; and wherein the hollow body comprises a hose having a diameter of about three inches, and means attached to the hose for folding the hose into zigzag form when the lifting plate is lowered. 
     
     
       2. The improved bathtub assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manually-operated valve comprises a valve housing attached under the lifting plate, said valve housing having a manual-operating lever projecting upwardly through an opening in the lifting plate, the lever having two operating positions; and further comprising a water inlet hose, a water outlet hose, and a connection hose, the connection hose being connected to the hollow body and the valve housing to establish fluid communication therebetween. 
     
     
       3. The improved bathtub assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bathtub includes a water outlet opening, and a stopper plug that closes the water outlet opening of the bathtub, and wherein the water outlet hose is operatively connected to the stopper plug. 
     
     
       4. The improved bathtub assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow body comprises a hose having concentric double walls, both walls consisting essentially of the same material, and said walls being spaced from each other to define a chamber, and wherein the chamber between the two walls is hermetically sealed. 
     
     
       5. The improved bathtub assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein a signal line ends in the closed chamber. 
     
     
       6. The improved bathtub assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the other end of the signal line ends at the upper side of the lifting plate.